New York Post
It’s time to place your bets for Tony nominations
By Michael Riedel
April 28, 2017 | 1:16am

Tony nominations are out Tuesday, so let’s read the tea leaves.

Producers are gnawing their nails over Best Musical. So many shows, only four (maybe five) slots.

“Come From Away” and “Dear Evan Hansen” are in. After that, predict at your peril. I think “Groundhog Day” makes the cut, and probably “War Paint,” although “Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812” is certainly in the mix. The category expands to five slots if a fifth show is within three votes of the fourth nominee. Those just mentioned will be the five — unless “Anastasia” snatches someone’s crown.Read More

Bette Midler On Whether Her Boyfriend Was An Actor In 1977: “Yes. But we don’t watch each other’s work. Then you never get into that ‘What do you really think?’ area. That’s no good.” (Morning Star, July 3, 1977)

It may be true that New York City’s gay bars are in sad decline. But Broadway’s Shubert Theatre on West 44th Street is one venue where, if you are prepared to part with a few hundred dollars, you can be around as many gay men (and many happy heterosexuals of course) as you could possibly wish. For it is here that Bette Midler, the Divine Miss M, has taken up residence in a revival of Jerry Herman’s equally divine musical Hello, Dolly!Read More

Bette Midler On Branching Out Morally: “I’m pretty square that way…about going from pillar to post, I mean. Keeping fourteen men on the string, or even two is exhausting. I’ve been with one man for eight months, which is a long time these days, and I’m still happy. I’m not looking around.” (Morning Star, July 3, 1977)

Instinct
Who Will Rep;ace Bette Midler As Dolly Next Year?
By Adam Dupuis | April 29, 2017

We saw many a stars perform as Hedwig in “Hedwig and the Angry Inch.” It’s very common to replace the lead to either give them a break so they can return to reality or the switch is done to generate more buzz around the musical and its new star. Bette Midler has only just opened on Broadway in ‘Hello, Dolly’ and producers are already planning on replacing her.

“Bette has signed on for one year. The entire run is almost sold out and now producers are looking for life after she leaves,” sources tell Straight Shuter. “The person that they all agree would be perfect to follow Bette is Dolly Parton. The show would literally be, “Hello, DOLLY!”Read More